I owned a Bullitt Mustang! Here’s the incredible story:
A very interesting story here I want to document for my family and friends about 2 cars in my life: a 1968 Dodge Charger and a 1968 “Bullitt” Mustang fastback.
My roommate had totalled my 1966 Mustang coupe in the spring of ‘68, and I got an unexpectedly large settlement from my insurance company.
A good friend’s dad was a VP of Chrysler, so I ordered a custom ’68 Dodge Charger in dark metallic green with a black vinyl top. Unexpected delays prevented the car from being made in time for my being in Ohio by the end of the first week of September, so I began looking for an alternative.
A friend of my dad’s was an orthodontist with a used car business - he had, on his own without my knowledge, took my insurance money and gave me a 1967 Buick Wildcat convertible with a 455 cu. “ engine. I hated it and couldn’t afford the gas even at 37 cents a gallon. It had to be worth over $500 more than my insurance money - wholesale.
On the showroom floor of the Ford dealer was a new ’68 dark metallic green Mustang fastback with a 302-4bbl and manual tranny. I asked the Ford dealer if he would take my Wildcat in trade for the new Mustang fastback. He said, “Yes - plus $300.” I didn’t have $300. But he would not come off that price. I walked out the door to leave. (a good tactic I have since employed successfully many times).
He came after me and said, “Can you wait 3 days to take the car?” “Yes - but not 4 - I have to be in Ohio.” “If you can wait 3 days, I’ll take your Wildcat plus $100.” I knew I could scrape up $100. I asked him why I had to wait 3 days. He said because the 1969 models were to be released in 3 days, and Ford would give him $200.00 for every ’68 model they had not sold.
So I drove away in an incredible new ’68 Mustang fastback in dark metallic green (“Highland Green”) - a dream car for a 23 year old!
One month later the movie “Bullitt” came out with Steve McQueen in it, and two cars in the first great road chase scene in the movies.
The bad guys were driving a ’68 Dodge Charger - almost the car I had originally ordered!. Steve McQueen was chasing them in his ’68 Mustang fastback - almost exactly like mine!
And here is what my ’68 looked like after I put the “C” stripe on it - the I put aircraft landing lights in the center grill :
I’ll try to post a pic in my next post....